Package for and method of shipping comestibles



c. H. TOLMAN Jag. 2a. 1969 PACKAGE FOR AND METHOD OF SHIPPING COMESTIBLES Filed April 26, 1965 Sheet INVENTOR. CHARLES H. TOLMAN A' TQRNEVS Jan. 28, 1969 c. HQTOLMAN 3,424,595

' PACKAGE FOR AND METHOD OF SHIPPING CQMESTIBLES Filed April 26, 1965 Sheet g of2- FIG. ll FIG. l2 INVENTOR.

CHARLES HfTOL-MAN United States Patent 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention is concerned with a package for the shipment of comestibles and a method for shipping comestibles. The package in question is a fibreboard carton which is capable of retaining liquid, a sheet of heavy paper toweling and an appropriate lid for the fibreboard carton. In operation, water is placed in the bottom of the fibreboard carton and the toweling is placed therein. A comestible product is then positioned on the damp toweling, whereupon the toweling is folded over the comestible. A lid is then placed on the composite carton, whereupon the temperature of the composite carton is lowered to an aprpopriate temperature for transit of the comestible product.

This invention relates to a package for comestibles and to a method of shipping comestibles in such a package. More particularly, the invention relates to a package of the type comprising a carton, particularly one constructed of rigid fibreboard, having a liner disposed therein fitted around the comestible items and having a waterwetted sheet of absorbent paper disposed adjacent the comestibles for maintaining the comestibles in a moist environment. Additionally, the invention relates to the method of shipping such a package of comestibles between selected locations, for example, from a packing plant to a supermarket, wherein the temperature of the package is maintained a relatively low value in excess of the freezing point of water.

In accordance with the prior art, as exemplified by US. Patent 3,111,412 to G. W. Mouk, it is known that perishable comestible items, including poultry, may be advantageously shipped under refrigeration in a moistened condition by packaging such items in a rigid fibreboard carton having an absorbent liner of composite construction fitted around the items. In accordance with the teachings of the aforementioned Mouk patent and with the commercial practice of the invention described therein, the rigid fibreboard carton was of a type that was not sufficiently resistant to water or sufficiently imperforate to be capable of holding appreciable quantities of free water. In such cases, the fibreboard of the carton walls is protected from the moisture and/ or free water in the environment around the comestibles by fitting the liner with an externally disposed ply of a moisture impermeable material, such as polyethylene.

However, in the practice of the teachings of the prior art, as above-described, package failures would nonetheless occasionally occur due to moisture weakening of the fibreboard in the carton walls. In some instances, these failures were attributed to the puncturing of the polyethylene ply of the composite liner construction. This problem is of particular importance in the packaging of dressed poultry, such as Whole chickens, due to the sharp irregularities of such items, for example, the neck bones. In other cases, however, the moisture weakening of the carton walls occurred without any noticeable failure of the composite liner. It is believed that these failures were due to the condensation of moisture from the atmosphere in the package externally of the polyethylene ply of the composite carton liner. Such condensation is apt to occur in an appreciable number of instances under prevailing handling conditions. For example, it frequently happens that the refrigerated packages are left standing out of doors for a period of time, such as on a loading dock, at some time during the shipping process. On warm humid days, a fair amount of water will inevitably condense on the refrigerated surfaces of the packages during such periods of time and lead to carton failures. Due to the fact that it generally is inconvenient to handle packages of the foregoing type in conjunction with alternative package types, such as iced wire-bound wooden crates, even a seasonal incidence of carton failures is often sufficient to disqualify all uniced fibreboard packages from the consideration of some users.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved package for comestibles of the type comprising a carton fitted with a water absorbent liner.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved method of shipping packaged comestibles.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a package for refrigerated comestibles which is insensitive to the condensation of moisture from the atmosphere internally thereof.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a package for refrigerated comestibles which may be conveniently handled according to practices for handling prior art packages that are less resistant to the condensation of moisture from the atmosphere internally thereof.

In accordance with the present invention, therefore, there is provided a package for refrigerated comestibles having the ability to retain free water (or any other aqueous liquid substance). Such package may be, and preferably is, constructed of a rigid fibreboard substance, such as corrugated fibreboard, so long as at least the bottom part of the carton is imperforate and so long as at least the portion exposed to free water is coated with a substance that is resistant to the penetration of water. The imperforate properties may be obtained by utilizing a five-sided carton in which side and end wall panel are continuously joined to the bottom panel along imperforate score lines and in which successive side and end wall panels are each similarly joined to a diagonally-scored corner panel, at least at the lower portions thereof. When such a carton is used, the flexible liner used for wrapping the comestibles need be only a simple sheet of absorbent paper material since it need not have the ability to retain moisture as in the case of prior art packages utilizing polyethylene-covered absorbent sheets. Packages of the present invention are superior to packages of the prior art utilizing composite flexible wrappers in that they derive their ability to maintain a moist environment around the comestibles by virtue of the properties of the carton rather than by virtue of the properties of the flexible liner. Thus, the carton wall is relatively sturdy and less subject to puncture than the relatively thin film of plastic incorporated in a composite liner. Additionally, the carton wall is so positioned as to be effective as a moisture barrier to all moisture disposed internally thereof, even from condensation, whereas the polyethylene film of a composite liner is valueless as a barrier to moisture condensing between the film and the carton wall. Another advantage of a package in accordance with the present invention is that it may be constructed sufiiciently similar in its outward characteristics to other popular versions of uniced fibreboard packages utilizing a composite liner to be handled conveniently as a substitute therefor under prevailing handling practices. This will permit the use of prior art packages during seasons when condensation is not a problem, if so desired, with substitution of the present package during the warm humid season. This will allow the utilization of fibreboard packages, with their many advantages, on a year-round basis whereas some users might otherwise standardize on iced wirebound wooden crates on a year-round basis because of the problems of failure of fibreboard packages during warm humid seasons.

For a further understanding of the invention, attention is directed to the following portion of the specification, the drawing, and the appended claims.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a suitably cut and scored sheet or blank of a relatively stilf sheet-like rigid material, such as corrugated fibreboard, from which a five-sided carton may be erected;

FIGS. 2-5 are perspective views showing sequential steps in the erection of a carton from the blank illustrated in FIG. 1, the fully erected carton being shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a liner sheet of flexible material;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the carton of FIG. 5 lined with the liner sheet of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing the lined carton of FIG. 7 filled with comestible items, shown as being dressed chickens;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing the package filled with comestible items of FIG. 8 after the edge portions of the liner sheet have been folded over the top of the comestible items;

FIG. 10 is a plan view of a suitably cut and scored blank of relatively stiff sheet-like material, such as corrugated fibreboard, from which a member for closing the upper end of the package of FIG. 9 may be formed;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the closure member formed from the blank of FIG. 10, shown in inverted position; and

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a package in accordance with the present invention comprising the package of FIG. 9 with the upper open end thereof closed with, and locked to, the cover member of FIG. 11.

As is shown in FIGS. 1-5, a five-sided carton useful in the practice of the present invention is formed from a blank of relatively rigid sheet-like material designated generally by reference character B1. Blank B1 may be constructed of corrugated fibreboard, preferably a heavy single-wall board, and comprises an imperforate bottom panel 21 which is of rectangular configuration defined by a first pair of spaced-apart parallel score lines 22 and 23 and a second pair of spaced-apart parallel score lines 24 and 25 extending perpendicularly between lines 22 and 23. Attached to panel 21 along its shorter edges 22 and 23, respectively, are a pair of panels 26 and 27 which are foldable to upright positions disposed perpendicularly to panel 21. Similarly, attached to the longer edges 24 and 25 of panel 21 are a pair of panels 28 and 29, respectively, which are also foldable to an upright position disposed perpendicularly to panel 21 and which, when so folded, constitute the sidewalls of a five-sided carton.

The edges of panels 2629 are not free, at least in the region close to panel 21, but rather are serially connected to one another by means of corner panels. Thus, corner panel 31 connects an edge of panel 26, defined by score line 32, to an edge of panel 28, defined by score line 33; corner panel 34 connects an edge of panel 27, defined by score line 35, to an edge of panel 28, defined by score line 36; corner panel 37 connects an edge of panel 27, defined by score line 38, to an edge of panel 29, defined by score line 39; and corner panel 41 connects an edge of panel 26, defined by score line 42, to an edge of panel 29, defined by score line 43. Each of corner panels 31, 34, 37, and 41 is rendered foldable to an upright position disposed perpendicularly to panel 21 by providing it with a score line extending diagonally thereacross from a corner of panel 21, viz, score lines 44,

45, 46, and 47, respectively, in erecting a carton of FIG. 5 from the blank of FIG. 1, corner panels 31, 34, 37, and 41 are intially folded about their respective diagonal score lines in such a manner that the diagonal score line extends away from panel 21 and the half panels of each of the corner panels, when brought into overlying relationship with each other, will be disposed exteriorly of the carton. This feature is shown clearly in FIGS. 3 and 4. Thereupon, the corner panels are folded to overlie the adjacent end panels of the carton and may be conveniently retained in such position by providing end panels 26 and 27 and reversely foldable flaps 48 and 49 which may be folded to overlie the inwardly folded corner panels and may be secured thereto, as by means of staples 51. Such a carton will be hereafter generally designated by the reference character C.

In assembling a package in accordance with the present invention, carton C is fitted with a flexible liner sheet, designated generally by reference character L, in the manner shown in FIG. 7. Liner sheet L is shown in detail in FIG. 6 and comprises a sheet of relatively heavy absorbent material, preferably towelling grade paper of a weight on the order of at least 69 pounds per 1,000 square feet, incorporating a wet strength additive, and having Opposed absorbent faces 52 and 53 with absorbent material extending therebetween. Thus, the wetting of one face of liner L will lead to the wetting of items eontacting the opposed face by capillary action or wicking.

As is shown in FIG. 7, liner L is of an area greater than the sum of the areas of bottom panel 21 and side and end wall panels 26-29. Thus, when liner sheet L is fitted within carton C, it will have a portion disposed adjacent bottom panel 21 and portions disposed adjacent side and end wall panels 26-29 and remaining portions extending therebeyond. Such remaining portions are folded to positions extending away from the interior of carton C and the thusly lined carton is filled with comestible items to be packaged, such as dressed chickens which are designated generally by reference character P, in the manner shown in FIG. 8.

Thereafter, the outwardly extending portions of liner L are inwardly folded to overlie the upper extent of the comestible items P in the manner shown in FIG. 9. Thus, liner L serves to block the free circulation of air past items P and is effective, when wetted, to retain an environment of above-ambient humidity surrounding items P.

The Wetting of liner L may be accomplished by maintaining a supply of an aqueous liquid substance in the bottom of carton C in contact with one of the faces of liner L which, in turn, may be accomplished by spraying such substance on the interior face of liner L at the point in time indicated in FIG. 7 or, alternatively, by sufficiently wetting the interior and/or exterior of comestible items P prior to packaging them in the manner shown in FIG. 8.

The upper opening of the package of FIG. 9 is thereafter covered by a top closure member which telescopes over the upper extent of carton C. Such closure member is designated generally in FIGS. 11 and 12 by reference character T and is formed from the blank B2 of relatively rigid sheet-like material illustrated in FIG. 10. Blank B2 is constructed by suitably cutting and scoring a sheet of a material such as single-wall corrugated fibreboard, as by die cutting, to provide a centrally oriented generally rectangular cover panel 54 defined by a first pair of spaced paralel lines 55, 56 and a second pair of spaced parallel lines 57, 58 extending perpendicularly to lines 55, 56. Lines 55, 56 are score lines which serve to hingedly connect panel 54 to shallow side panels 61, 62, respectively. Lines 57, 58 comprise score line portions 57a, 58a, respectively, which serve to hingedly connect end panels 63, 64 to panel 54.

Each of panels 63, 64 is double scored along lines 65, 66, respectively, to define first and second portions 63a, 63b, and 64a, 64b. Lines 65 and 66 are interrupted and are connected by offset cut lines 67, 68, respectively,

which define tab member 71, 72 extending from panel portions 63a, 64a respectively.

Top closure member T is erected from blank B2 by folding panels 61, 62 to stand upright with respect to panel 54. Panels 61, 62 are readily maintained in such position by providing them with flaps hingedly connected to each end thereof. Thus, flaps 73, 74 are connected to the ends of panel 61 along score lines 75, 76, respectively, and flaps 77, 78 are connected to the ends of panel 62 along score lines 81, 82, respectively. Flaps 73, 74 and 77, 78 are inwardly folded after panels 61 and 62 are in an upright position so that flaps 73 and 77 lie along line 57 and flaps 74 and 78 lie along line 58. Thereafter, panels 63, 64 are folded to extend at right angles to panel 54 and portions 63b and 64b are reversely folded along lines 65 and 66, respectively, to extend back towards panel 54. When thus reversely folded, portion 63b of panel 63 will overlie and retain flaps 73 and 77 and portion 6% of panel 64 will similarly overlie flaps 74 and 78.

Top' closure member T may be made self-locking by providing each of panel portions 63b, 64b with projections 83, 84, respectively, and by providing lines 57, 58 with offset cut portions 57b, 58b, respectively, for receiving such projections. Carton C and top closure member may be made self-locking with respect to one another by reversely folding tab members 71, 72 along double score lines 65 and 66, respectively, to lock under the adjacent flap of flaps 48, 49 of carton C. Suitable recesses for the receiving of tab members 71, 72 may be provided by notching the corners of corner panels 31, 34, 37, 41 at the ends of diagonal score lines 44, 45, 46, 47, respectively, as is shown in FIG. 1. A feature of the interlocked carton and top closure member thereby provided is that the undersides of reversely folded tabs 71 and 72 function as satisfactory hand grips for lifting the entire package.

It has previously been mentioned that the interior surfaces of carton C that are exposed to moisture are coated with a substance that resists the penetration of moisture. It is conceivable that simple wax coatings would suffice for this purpose though it is believed that many of the commonly used waxes would not be sufficiently flexible to retain their adherence to the carton walls during the necessary folding steps. A coating of polyethylene or some other plastic would, of course, be highly satisfactory from a performance standpoint. Unfortunately, such coatings are fairly expensive. It is, therefore, proposed that such coating be done with one of the wax-plastic blends commonly called hot-melt coatings. These coatings utilize a relatively small amount of a plastic or other complex chemical in combination with wax and have substantially better flexibility, adherence, and moisture impermeability than ordinary waxes. Hot melt coating utilizing ethylenevinyl acetate copolymer (EVA) in conjunction with wax are very popular as are blends of wax and polyethylene and are relatively inexpensive in relation to the expense of utilizing a polyethylene coating. When such inexpensive coatings are used, it is desirable to similarly coat the exterior surfaces of the carton to protect the carton from external moisture.

Although it does not contitute a part of the present invention, it is to be pointed out that one or more of the plies of paper constituting the corrugated wall of the carton may advantageously incorporate one of the well known resins which impart rigidity to paper in a moist environment.

It is believed that the best mode known to be to carry out this invention has been described above in terms sufiiciently full, clear, concise and exact as to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use the same. It is to be understood, however, that it is within my contemplation that certain modifications of the above-described mode of practicing the invention can be made by a skilled artisan without departing from the scope of the invention, and, it is, therefore, desired to limit the invention only in accordance with the appended claims.

Iclaim:

1. A package comprising, in combination: a rigid fibreboard carton having the internal surface thereof coated with a substance which resists the penetration of water, said carton having a horizontally oriented bottom panel and a plurality of upstanding panels foldably secured to said bottom panel, said plurality of upstanding panels defining a wall that is continuous at least in the region immediately above the bottom panel; a liner sheet of flexible material covering the bottom panel and extending upwardly therefrom toward the top of the upstanding panels and having remaining portions of sufficient extent to fold over the top of contents filled to the depth of the carton, said liner sheet having an externally disposed water absorbent face in contact .with the bottom panel and an internal water absorbent face in contact with the comestibles and comprising water absorbent material extending between the external and internal faces; and means for closing the top of the carton.

2. A package in accordance with claim 1 wherein said means for closing the top of the carton comprises a lid telescopable over the top of the carton.

3. A package comprising, in combination: a rigid fibreboard carton having the internal surfaces thereof coated with a substance that resists the penetration of water, said carton having a horizontally oriented imperforate rectangular bottom panel, oppositely disposed side and end walls extending upwardly from the bottom wall and integral therewith, and connecting means connecting at least the lower portions of adjacent side and end walls to one another and to said bottom panel to constitute at least the bottom portion of the carton imperforate and to give said bottom portion of said carton the ability to contain water; a supply of water in the bottom portion of said carton; a flexible liner sheet having an area substantially greater than the sum of the areas of the bottom panel and the side and end walls, said liner sheet having a portion disposed adjacent the bottom panel and portions disposed adjacent each of the side and end walls and remaining portions, said liner sheet further comprising an external face of water absorbent paper in contact with said substance an internal face of water absorbent paper, and water absorbent paper extending between said external and internal faces; a plurality of comestible items disposed =within the carton in contact with the internal face of absorbent material, the remaining portions of the absorbent material being folded over the upper extent of the comestible items; and means for closing the upper end of the carton.

4. A package in accordance with claim 3 wherein said connecting means comprises a plurality of diagonally scored panels each of which is foldably secured to a side wall panel and an end wall panel along perpendicular edges thereof.

5. A package in accordance with claim 3 wherein said means for closing the upper end of the carton comprises a cover member having a rectangular panel spanning the upper end of the carton, oppositely disposed side and end panels foldably attached to said cover rectangular panel and extending downwardly therefrom adjacent the side and end walls of the carton externally thereof, and means carried by the cover member engageable with means carried by the carton for securing the cover member to the carton.

6. A method of shipping comestibles comprising: packaging comestibles in a package comprising, in combination: a rigid fibreboard carton having the internal surfaces thereof coated with a substance that resists the penetration of water, said carton having a horizontally oriented imperforate rectangular bottom panel, oppositely disposed side and end walls extending upwardly from the bottom wall and integral therewith, and connecting means connecting at least the lower portions of adjacent side and end walls to one another and to said bottom panel to constitute at least the bottom portion of the carton imperforate and to give said bottom portion of said carton the ability to contain water; a supply of water in the bottom portion of said carton; a flexible liner sheet having an area substantially greater than the sum of the areas of the bottom panel and the side and end walls, said liner sheet having a portion disposed adjacent the bottom panel and portions disposed adjacent each of the side and end Walls and remaining :portions, said liner sheet further comprising an external face of water absorbent paper in contact with said substance an internal face of water absorbent paper, and Water absorbent paper extending between said external and internal faces; a plurality of comestible items disposed within the carton in contact with the internal face of absorbent material, the remaining portions of the absorbent material being folded over the upper extent of the comestible items; and means for closing the upper end of the carton; and shipping the package.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,773,080 8/1930 Birdseye 99194 2,595,498 5/1952. Wiesman et a1. 99-194 3,026,209 3/1962 Niblack et a1. 99-174 3,111,412. 11/1963 Monk 99-192 HYMAN LORD, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 99-174 

